new home in the area of Columbia. In April 1992 the representatives of both cities signed a treaty of friendship during a visit of a Columbian delegation in Gedern. The official partnership ceremony was held in May 1993 in Columbia, Illinois. Economy and infrastructure Local companies Measured by its size, Gedern was an important industrial hub during the 1980s in the industrially weak area around the Vogelsberg. There were several textile, wood, rubber, and metal refining factories. Today only a large metal-refining company is still active. Today Gedern is economically unimportant. Retail, manual labor, and trade work that make up the core of the economic activities are done on a very small scale. The vast majority of the inhabitants of Gedern commute to other areas in the Rhein-Main and Gießen regions. Educational facilities Gedern has a comprehensive school (Gesamtschule) with the levels Hauptschule, Realschule, and Gymnasium up to tenth grade. Several elementary schools are also found in Gedern and the surrounding area. Recreation The Gederner See (Lake Gedern) attracts many campers and swimmers every summer. Gedern also has a heated indoor pool in the recreation center (Sportzentrum) on Schmitterberg—the hill that separates the village from the lake area. Around the lake, there is also a glider runway. On weekends with nice weather one can see the gliders in the sky all around Gedern. The Volcano Bike Path runs from Stockheim to Lauterbach along the old train tracks. Ober-Seemen is also home to the county youth summer camp Groß-Gerau. Sons and daughters of the city Christian Ernest of Stolberg-Wernigerode (1691-1771), reigning Count of the County of Wernigerode Frederick Charles of Stolberg-Gedern (1693-1767), owner of the Stolbergian domination of Gedern Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern (1752-1824), Countess of Albany Eduard von Fransecky (1807-1890), Prussian General of the Infantry Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode (1837-1896), politician and Vice Chancellor with Otto von Bismarck Edgar Itt (born 1967), athlete (sprinter) Sandra Minnert (born 1973), football player and manager References External links Wetteraukreis Grand Duchy of Hesse